Yes, "Dog Stylist" Is A Profession

Warning: the following post contains references to dog jumpsuits.

“What does a doggie stylist do?” Wendy Williams asked Dara Foster on a recent episode of her syndicated daytime talk show.

“Basically the same thing as a human stylist,” Ms. Foster replied. “I dress dogs, and I show people how to live together with their dogs in a stylish way.”

Moments later, a fashion show commenced; a longhaired Chihuahua named Mei Mei scampered down the studio’s AstroTurf runway. “Mei Mei is wearing the ’80s-inspired punk look,” Ms. Foster narrated, pointing out the dog’s tiny plaid kilt and rhinestone-skull tank top. The look, she added, is “giving way to a grunge movement in dog fashion – I swear to God.”

So begins a fascinating glimpse into the life of pet stylist Dara Foster, highlights of which include: a “mullet wig for dogs”, canine “bridal gowns, bathrobes and denim jumpsuits,” and “a dress based on Natalie Portman’s Victor & Rolf gown from the Golden Globes ceremony” modeled by a greyhound.

While Foster’s work may set Nero to fiddling in your ears, in fact she’s an animal lover with a real commitment to their welfare. In addition to styling, media and her blog, PupStyle, she raises money for the Humane Society and hopes one day to start a pet food bank. Oh, and she draws the line. While she may go in for fluorescent fur styling gel (“hot right now,”) matching tattoos on dog and owner are, she says, “just abuse.”